GLRA India, a non-profit Indian entity, has been working for the cause of Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Disability, and Humanitarian crises since 1966.
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Leprosy also known as Hansen’s disease (Kushtarog) is one of the most ancient diseases known to humankind. Despite being declared Leprosy-free by WHO in 2005, India is now home to 58% of the new global leprosy cases reported every year. Despite several new initiatives over the past decade, occurrence of the new cases indicating the continues transmission and delayed reporting to treatment. Every year these new cases added to the pool of millions of people living with leprosy related disabilities who needs continues medical and social rehabilitation.
Leprosy, a disease of the skin and nerves, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is a leading cause of permanent physical disability. Timely diagnosis and treatment before the nerve damage sets in is the most effective way of preventing disability. Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT), introduced by the WHO in 1980s, has been the most effective treatment till today and available free of cost in across all government health facilities and designated NGO leprosy hospitals. Leprosy is curable now with 6-12 months treatment.
From the inception, GLRA India successfully engaged in leprosy control work in association with the National Leprosy Control/Elimination/Eradication programme through state governments, hundreds of grass-root level NGOs, and with established leprosy care hospitals across the country. Over the last five plus decades, we managed to diagnose, treat, and cure about 2.5 million people through 300 plus projects besides rehabilitation of about 315,000 affected families and by providing technical support to several state leprosy programs.
NIRAMAYA II is a 3 years’ (2021-2023) time bound project spread into 8 locations* in India aims to provide quality management of leprosy related complications at the at secondary and tertiary hospitals, strengthen early case detection, improvement in treatment adherence and streamlining referral mechanism by involving local government health facilities. The foremost focus of the project NIRAMAYA is to provide quality care for the leprosy affected persons through referral centres and our partner hospitals in 5 states are recognized centres for leprosy care and they all are collaborating well with the respective state / district health authorities. The project offers a wide range of activities such as specialized leprosy care, skin clinics, physiotherapy, reconstructive surgery, general health care, promoting early case detection and also addressing the affected people’s social / economical rehabilitation needs.
Project NIRAMAYA also supporting the state leprosy program in West Bengal through a designated team. The advocacy and collaborative measures with NP & state programmes facilitated to strengthen the collaboration further in the state. The team assist the state leprosy office in implementation of routine programs and special campaigns. Through the state coordination we aim to build the capacity of government health staff in early detection, validation, management of complications besides providing monitoring supervision at the districts.
The project intends to positively impact the lives of 400 leprosy-affected people live in leprosy colonies by promoting early case detection, initiation of treatment, management of complication and disability prevention. The project also focusing on rehabilitation, advocacy for enabling the affected community to demand their rights and entitlements.